Middlesex University Dubai Wins Hackathon

Middlesex University Dubai achieved a remarkable victory at the MENA Digital Forum & Hackathon 2025, where eight student teams represented the institution and emerged as overall winners. Competing against 18 teams from across the MENA region, the university demonstrated exceptional innovation and technical expertise in digital solutions development.

The prestigious event, powered by META as the main sponsor and hosted by Starbucks at Alshaya Group, brought together academia and industry to foster innovation and creativity on an international platform. The hackathon challenged participants to design innovative digital solutions under the theme ‘Create the Future Starbucks Digital Experience for Dubai.’

Innovative Digital Solutions for Dubai’s Diverse Community

Student teams from Middlesex University Dubai developed cutting-edge concepts incorporating AI-powered chatbots, intelligent data analysis, personalised AI recommendations, augmented reality (AR) experiences, and multilingual support, including Arabic. These solutions were specifically designed to address the needs of Dubai’s diverse and multicultural community, showcasing the students’ understanding of local market dynamics.

Middlesex University Dubai Faculty Leadership and Mentorship

The participation was led by Dr Chinnu Mary George from the Department of Computer Engineering and Informatics, with support from Dr Engie Bashir, Undergraduate Campus Programme Coordinator. Faculty mentoring was provided across eight teams by distinguished educators including Dr Chinnu Mary George, Jaspreet Sethi, Madhumita Das, Dr Sumitra Kotipalli, and Kashfi Rahman.

“We were honoured to participate in an event that offers young people a platform to demonstrate their skills in technology and digital disciplines. Taking part in the MENA Digital Hackathon 2025 enabled our students to develop the future-focused capabilities they learn at university, enhancing their opportunities in the working world.”
Dr Engie Bashir, Associate Professor in Computer Engineering and Informatics at Middlesex University Dubai

The Winning Team: Nova Nexus

The winning team, Nova Nexus, was mentored by Dr Sumitra Kotipalli and comprised five talented students who demonstrated exceptional technical expertise and creativity. The team members included:

Dua-E-Nusrat (BSc Business Computing and Data Analytics, Year 3)
Nafisa Rahman Chowdhury (BSc Information Technology, Year 3)
Rajavi Mhatre (BSc Information Technology, Year 3)
Michelle Haguma Paula (BSc Business Computing and Data Analytics, Year 3)
Grace Eliud Makweba (BSc Business Computing and Data Analytics, Year 3)

Future Outlook for Digital Innovation in Education

This achievement reflects the exceptional technical expertise, creativity, teamwork, and strong mentorship that underpin the university’s commitment to innovation and excellence on a regional stage. The success at the MENA Digital Awards Hackathon 2026 positions Middlesex University Dubai as a leading institution in preparing students for the evolving digital landscape, equipping them with practical skills that meet industry demands in the UAE and beyond.